Selling clubs etc etc

[verlaine1979]

Is it time to retire the old myth that selling clubs always fall apart after one or two rounds of big sales? The ongoing competitiveness of Brentford, Bournemouth and Brighton does rather suggest that our problem was just shit scouting.

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

I don't think many clubs will do well after two consecutive seasons of selling off all your best players.

 

[Disco Stu]

We managed it for 10 years. Brighton will match that benchmark if they stay up this season.

[Lighthouse]

If you just want to cherry pick (pardon the pun) those three clubs as an example then sure. If you also take into account Wolves, West Ham, Burnley, Leicester, Luton, Sheff Utd, Watford, Norwich, West Brom, Huddersfield, Cardiff, Swansea, Stoke, Boro, QPR, Wigan, Bolton, Brum and probably a couple of others who've all dropped out the PL in the last 10-12 years then actually staying in the PL at all, let alone competitively in the top half, is notoriously difficult. 

[AlexLaw76]

They have consistently bought well, we spectacularly did not

[Matthew Le God]

17 minutes ago, verlaine1979 said:

Is it time to retire the old myth that selling clubs always fall apart after one or two rounds of big sales? The ongoing competitiveness of Brentford, Bournemouth and Brighton does rather suggest that our problem was just shit scouting.

1) We got better (for 2 years) after the summer sales of 2014 and 2015, not worse.

2) Every club in the world is a "selling club", bar Real Madrid.

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, AlexLaw76 said:

They have consistently bought well, we spectacularly did not

Yep, bought well in 2014 and 2015 drawing on Koeman’s gravitas, 2016 Les Reed thought he’d reinvent football and a failed takeover followed.

[verlaine1979]

2 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

1) We got better (for 2 years) after the summer sales of 2014 and 2015, not worse.

2) Every club in the world is a "selling club", bar Real Madrid.

These are adjacent observations, yet you have phrased them as if they were corrections.

[verlaine1979]

7 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

If you just want to cherry pick (pardon the pun) those three clubs as an example then sure. If you also take into account Wolves, West Ham, Burnley, Leicester, Luton, Sheff Utd, Watford, Norwich, West Brom, Huddersfield, Cardiff, Swansea, Stoke, Boro, QPR, Wigan, Bolton, Brum and probably a couple of others who've all dropped out the PL in the last 10-12 years then actually staying in the PL at all, let alone competitively in the top half, is notoriously difficult. 

Yes, I suppose my point is that conventional wisdom is that it's impossible to scout and buy well beyond the odd lucky convergence of signings. Those three clubs are starting to suggest that this might not be true, which isn't necessarily contradicted by basket cases like ourselves, West Ham and Leicester recruiting poorly.

[Dr Who?]

Bournemouth and abrighton will have their time and get relegated, especially Bournemouth, unless they get themselves a new ground. They like us cannot rely on selling players and getting replacements. 

[Dr Who?]

Also we have been badly run as a football club since the season we sacked Ralph for not giving him money to strengthen the team especially a striker! 

[trousers]

2 hours ago, Matthew Le God said:

1) We got better (for 2 years) after the summer sales of 2014 and 2015, not worse.

 

[The Wyvern]

9 hours ago, verlaine1979 said:

Is it time to retire the old myth that selling clubs always fall apart after one or two rounds of big sales? The ongoing competitiveness of Brentford, Bournemouth and Brighton does rather suggest that our problem was just shit scouting.

Some clubs seem to clearly be better at selling and then buying quality again than others and the three examples you give definitely have been excellent. The question is what have they been able to do that others can’t? Better scouting networks? 

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

9 hours ago, Dr Who? said:

Bournemouth and abrighton will have their time and get relegated, especially Bournemouth, unless they get themselves a new ground. They like us cannot rely on selling players and getting replacements. 

That's oddest thing about Bournemouth. They have years in the Premier League you'd think they would do something on the ground front.

I know they've invested in infrastructure so that's something.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

That's oddest thing about Bournemouth. They have years in the Premier League you'd think they would do something on the ground front.

I know they've invested in infrastructure so that's something.

They are tbf, foundations in place over the summer period for increasing two of the stands for a capacity of 20-21k.

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

2 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

They are tbf, foundations in place over the summer period for increasing two of the stands for a capacity of 20-21k.

Ah fair enough. I wasn't aware of that.

[RedArmy]

3 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

They are tbf, foundations in place over the summer period for increasing two of the stands for a capacity of 20-21k.

You can’t polish a turd. 
 

They’re an established premier league club, build a new stadium. 
 

They could do something similar to the Amex, keep the capacity down originally to see if the demand is there but have provisions built in to expand the capacity without much work or cost if they need to. 

 

[Green]

They've updated their training facilities as well, looks really good. 

The media never seem to mention that they broke the rules when they got promotion, they got a small fine, no points deductions and no constant going on and on about it every time they played. 

[Gloucester Saint]

19 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

You can’t polish a turd. 
 

They’re an established premier league club, build a new stadium. 
 

They could do something similar to the Amex, keep the capacity down originally to see if the demand is there but have provisions built in to expand the capacity without much work or cost if they need to. 

 

Finding a site though, dealing with planners and local politicians and it’s Dorset.

Look how difficult we found it, although Lowe could have had Stoneham with 30-35k capacity rather than the extra retail he wanted instead. But fine with SMS and prefer to out of town.

Skates have found it hardest of all being on an isle. 

Edited Saturday at 12:34 by Gloucester Saint

[Badger]

On 18/09/2026 at 22:12, Gloucester Saint said:

Yep, bought well in 2014 and 2015 drawing on Koeman’s gravitas, 2016 Les Reed thought he’d reinvent football and a failed takeover followed.

Agree tgat Reed takes a lot of flak and blame for our demise but to balance things you have to accept his part in our rise. He was probably the one who oversaw the appointment ofKoeman for example.

Koeman was obviously  instrumental in the signings whilst he was here. Reed seemed to get the credit and bask in it.

The mystery is the fall out between RK and Reed where it started going down the pan.